Knock-off device for braiding machines



May 12, 1925. 1,537,445

H. HODGSON ET AL KNOCK-OFF DEVICE FOR BRAIDING MACHINES Filed Dec. 26, 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 rn HER WW Hooqsolv WITNEJSE'J V17 q/vvg GER/TAD REYNOLDS BY A MM/ {MM ATTORNEY INVENTORS May 12, 1925. 1,537,445

H. HODGSQN ET AL KNOCK-OFF DEVICE FOR BRAIDING MACHINES Filed Dec. 26, 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 HE F MN HODQSON'} E TOR WITNEIS/SES mv N 5,:

w GEE/1L0 E REYNQLDS )ZJ" M I BY f l/ ATTORNEY Patented May 12, 1925.

U ED ST AT E S.

PATENT oFFicE.

HERMAN HODGSON AND GERALD F; REYNOLDS, OF GOBTLANDQNEW Y OBK, ASSIGHOBS T0 CORTLAND LINE (30., INCL, OF CORTLAND, NEW YORK, A" CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

KNOCK-OFF DEVICE FOR 'BRAIDING MAC-HIN'ES;

Application filed December 26, 1924. Serial No. 758,183.

To all whom it may concern;-

Be it known that we, I'IERMAN Honcson and GERALD F. REYNOLDS, citizens of the United States, and residents of Cortland, in the county of Cortland and the State of New York, have invented certainnew and useful Improvements in Knock-Off Devices for Braiding Machines, of which the following is a specification.

()ur invention relates to improvements in the art of braiding machinery, and its primary object is to provide for a simple and novel knockoff device for machines of this character that will serve immediately to shut down the operation thereof in the event any one of the yarn strands in either the core or its surrounding braid should accidentally or otherwisebecome ruptured during the weaving process. Our invention is further directed toward improved facilities for evenly tensioning multiple-ply corestrands for such braids, especially as applied to the making of fish lines, candle wicks, bead cords, racket cords, shoe strings, lamp cords, airplane cords, parachute drop cords, sash cords, and other cords of the braided type that are provided with core strands made of yarn wire, rubber, or the like.

In the manufacture of such lines or cords, a plaited braid is commonly woven about either a single or multiple ply core strand by interlacing alternate braid strands over and under each other to form a closely woven tubular braid adapted to surround said core strand or strands. The c'onven tional braiding machine accomplishes this purpose by the use of a series of interineshed gear-driven bobbin carrierswhich are powerdriven and adapted to travel in a circuitous path about the axle of the centrally disposed core strands in such a fashion that the yarn bobbin carriers may pass each other while effecting the indicated plaitingof the braid.

Each yarn bobbin on such rotating braider strand carriers or spindles may be provided with a suspended ratchet feed weight of the conventional type adapted to maintain a substantially uniform tension upon all of the braid strands while these are being unwound from their respective yarn bobbins. The drive shaft of ourbraider machine is preferable equipt with adisengageable clutch of such construction that should any one of the braid strands become accidentally ruptured during-theweaving operation, then the tensioning weight normally suspended by the defective strand is allowed to drop to a lower. position on itstravelling bobbin carrier, which in turn is made to shift a knock-off arm and-to trip a latch for the release of a suitable stop mechanism. The drive shaft clutch is thereby thrown out of engagement and this promptly brings the machine to rest, thus effectively preventing the further making of any defective braid around'th'e core.

Heretofore this desirable stop; feature has been applied to the breakage of braide-rstrands alone. An outstandingfeature' of the present invention lies in an extension of the stop feature for braiding machinery, so as to effect a similar result as applied to the core strands and thus provide for a full-stop device adapted to respond not only to the breakage of the braider strands but to-the core strands as well.

Our improved braider machine further contemplates keeping the multiple core strands evenly tensioned with respectto the braider strands duringthe braiding process and to brings common stop mechanisminto action immediately upon an accidental rupture ofany of such plaited core strands. In the making. of uniform high grade cored braids it is found of utmost. importance to keep all the core and also the braider strands evenly and automatically tensioned, and this requirement is one that has not heretofore been adequately met. Furthermore, as previously constructed, braiding machines are apt to continue braiding about one or more severed core strands until such time that a defect of this kind may come to the operators notice. Since it is customary to let one operator attend a considerable number of such machines, our improved automatic means for shutting, down operation immediately upon the breaking asunder of any one of the core strands greatly facilitates and extends the supervision of such one-man operation as compared to the present type of equipment. Defective cords for the braid are thereby obviated and the cost of labor and waste of material are reduced to a minimum besides providing, fora more uniformand consistent quality in such braidedpro: ducts.

Embodied herein are also other features of structure and organization adapted to facilitate the manufacture of encased braided cords or lines, all of which will be set forth in detail hereinafter.

Reference is had to the accompanying two sheets of drawings which illustrate an example of our invention, in which drawings like characters 1 of reference indicate like parts in the several views, and in which drawings:

Fig. 1 represents a perspective view of a small braiding machine equipt with our improved device as applied to the making of lines or cords having but a single-ply strand for their core.

Fig. 2 is a top or plan view of the braider machine as taken along line 22 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a partial sectional view illustrating the constructive details of an assembled bobbin carrier and appurtenances, particu larly a unit such as may be used for core strand purposes but except for a minor modification, this unit is also applicable to braider strands as used in connection with the machine shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 represents a top view ofthe carrier shown in Fig. 3.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged partial View of the braider machine detailing the detachable clutch mechanism as seen from line l4 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 shows further details of the knockoff or stop devices that co-operate with the drlve clutch and the rotating bobbin carriers as taken along line 55 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a plan view of our knock-off plate for mounting our core strand carriers, which plate may readily be attached to certain existing braider machines to equip them with our improved core knock-off devices.

Fig. 7 represents a plan view similar to Fig. 2, but indicating a modified braider machine equipt with plural bobbin carriers adapted to make a three-ply strand core for the braid.

Referring first to Figs. 1 and 2, the letter A represents a stationary top plate or platon of our braider machine, which platen may be provided with a set of complementary cut-through grooves A and A respectively, forming oppositely disposed and intersecting sinuous paths disposed about the center of the platen. These grooves are preferably formed by means of a plurality of tangentially disposed or abutting circular component grooves which connect with each other to constitute an endless serpentine-like crossed groove as shown. It will be observed that in this particular disclosure, the two circular end or return elements of said closed grooves are spaced somewhat apart and to this extent are not made entirely symmetrical with respect to the axis of the round platen.

The center portion of such circular com-" ponent is provided with a platen stud memoer A which extends downward and is attached to the bottom plate A, in order to support the inset center member or quoit A in alignment with the platen surface as shown. Between the spacedbottom plate A and the said top plate A a series of intermeshing horn gears such as A are rotatably mounted on the respective studs such as A and these gears are each provided with suitable lugs or horns in the conventional manner, as indicated by A 7 A series of bobbin carriers as used for the braider strands are mounted to ride upon the top platen face of which only one such carrier unit is represented in Fig. 1 and designated as 13,. In the present instance, ten such units are preferably used in connection with the described endless platen grooves designated as A and A and the disposition of said units is indicated in Fig. 2 by dotted circular lines. Each such braider carrier is preferably provided with an oblong or ovalshaped bobbin shoe B of conventional construction adapted to slide freely in said platen groove while the projecting shoe tit B is intended to successively engage the various gear lugs or horns A in such manner as will cause the different carriers to travel in spaced relation around the closed sinuous platen groove. The disposition of the horn actuating elements A for such carriers is such that the carriers are made to pass each other along the double separated port-ion of said grooves as indicated in Fig. 2, to the end that one-half of the plural carriers first travel around one of the sinuous grooves in a clockwise direction while the other half of the carriers travel in the complementary groove in the opposite direction, all in accordance with conventional braiding ma chine practice. Since the means for imparting movement to the respective carriers do not constitute the essential subject matter of our improvements, it is sufiicient for present purposes to outline suitable means whereby the various carriers are commonly kept in movement about the platen axis for the purpose of effecting the braiding process about the centrally disposed core strands. The core bobbin carriers remain stationary except as they gradually feed their strand up through the center of the platen as indicated in Fig. 1 by dotted and dashed lines D Referring now to the drive mechanism used for rotating the enmeshed platen gears, such as A these are side driven as a unit by the intermediate spur gear A which is mounted and preferably keyed to the power driven upright auxiliary shaft (3,. A releasable clutch is provided for starting and stopping the operation of the braider ma= chine and any suitable drive-disengaging device will serve present purposes. In the example illustratedzin Figs. tandfi, the slip bevel gear C may he provided with an. ex-

tended hub portion O having aclutchsocket other suitable means and is intended to rotate freely with respectcto the auxiliary shaft C and without rotating the spur gear A when: ever the lug C is withdrawn from the socket C Mounted upon the. lower end of such auxiliary shaft C is a clutch plate G which is providedwith agroovcdslip collar that engagesbut is intended to rotate freely, with respect to the fork endpi-n C of the. ful-. crumed clutch lever C This lever is overhung and when released is adapted to drop freely so that its own unbalanced weight will automatically pull the clutch pin out of engagementjwith its socket C The slip gear C meshes with the complementary bevel gear G which lattergear may be suitably fastened and centered upon the drive pulley C Both of the last-named parts are mounted on ,thehorizontal layshaft .0 which in turn is overhung from a convenient portion of the machine frame such, as C The outer portion of the clutch lever C is further provided with a trip or latch link C fulcrumed at its lower extremity to said lever and extending upwards through the latch guide C The upper portion of the link C is equipt with a latch (1' and when the lever C is raised into its full-lined position, this projecting latch edge is intended to engage the guide plate C as shown in Fig. 1 and hold the clutch in its operative position. The extreme end of the link C is further provided with a projecting lug portion C adapted to overhang the knockprises a flat arcuate plate of which one end.

is freely fulcrumed at C to the top face of the platen A As shown in Fig. 1, the other end of said drum is provided with a knob. portion G which lies close to but is still made to normally clear the path travel ling parts associated with any of the movable braider carriers such as 13,. Since the upper or free end of the pivoted link C rests alongside the outer circular edge of the arm C it will be apparent that any outward movement imparted to thisfulcrumed arm will serve to trip the latch (3' and thus cause the clutch to be thrown out of engagement.

The disposition of the various parts is such that should for any reason, the yarn strands on any one of the travelling bobbin carriers become ruptured, it will allow a suitable drop weight previously suspended by said strand to fall and thereupon come into engagement with theknock-off knobpor: tion. (l andcause this to be shifted outwards and away from such carrier. whose yarn strandmay have become ruptured. As aresultthe clutch pin C will be thrown out of engagement and this inturn shuts down the further. operation of the braider ma: chine, although the released. drive pulley. C may continue to rotate freely upon. the lay shaft C strands, the mechanism required is substantially similar to. that being conventionally used for this purpose, and is merely set forth insufficient detail to permit the disposition and importance of our improved attachment to be readily and fully understood; As stated, the yarn spool of the plural bobbin carriers is made to travel around the end less platen groove, and as is further detailed in Fig. 8, each of these carriers substantially comprises a-vertical spindle B onWhich a bobbin or spool B is loosely mounted'and adapted to gradually feed off evenly tensioned yarn to the respective braid strands.

The uppermost flange ofeach bobbin is provided with a series of upstanding ratchet teeth such as B which successively engage with a suitable bobbin pawl 13,, serving to tension and regulate the unwinding of the. yarn off the bobbin. Mounted alongside the bobbin axis is an offset weight rod B the lower end. of which is firmly secured to. and-- projects upward from the shoe or foot portion of the housing, while the upper end of said rod is equipt with a rod eye B5.)

Slidably mounted upon each such rodare two separate weights of whichthe upper or pawl weight B is provided with said overhung bobbin pawl B adapted to engage the ratchet teeth B and ride thereon, while the lower or drop weight B is equipt with a yarn eye 13 The yarn feeding off the bobbin is threaded first through the eye B and then under the outer edge of the drop weight B and through the rod eye B from which it passes upwards to constitute one of the braid strands. The braiding operation is performed at the apertured former 13, located directly above the center of the platen A, as shown in Fig. 1, from which. the various braid strands are intended to radiate to the rod eyes of the respective carriers. The length of the yarn coming from the bobbin is kept sufliciently short and taut so as to hold the lower dropweight B suspended above the platen within predeter mined limits. The intended relation of the yarn length is such that when the pawl B of the upper weight B has just dropped behind and into the bottom of one of its co= acting ratchet teeth B the drop weight B will at that. time be lowered but only to about the extent indicated by its full lined position shown in Fig. 3, in which position the carrier is still allowed to travel around.

As applied to the braide'r one of the platen grooves without any inter-- ference with the projecting knob portion C of the arm C From the foregoing it will be seen that while the braid is being formed, a substantially continuous pull will be exerted upon the receptive unruptured braid strands and this will in turn gradually. lift the drop weight 13,, since for the time being, the bobbin is held and prevented from rotating by the interlocked bobbin ratchet. As soon, however, as sufficient yarn has been fed into the braid and the lower weight 13,, has been raised to a point where it engages the pawl weight B and further feeding of the yarn into the braid will serve to raise the pawl B out of locking engagement with the bobbin teeth B and this action allows the bobbin to intermittently rotate into the next tooth notch. In the meantime, the drop weight B is again allowed to fall into said full lined position with the result that this intermittent feed method serves to keep a substantially constant tension on the different braid strands and all substantially equal to each other.

The continuously formed braid will be automatically wound up on the reel B in the usual manner by adjustable gear devices such as are indicated in Fig. 1. As stated, all of the carriers are intended to be similarly equipt with the described ratchet tensioning device, and in the event that any one of the braid strands should rupture,

' this will allow the corresponding drop weight B to fall below its normal sus: pended position and into extreme lower position indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 3. Thereupon an interference will be set up between the drop weight mounted upon the travelling carrier rod B and the pivotally mounted knock-off arm G of which the knob portion C is disposed to project into the. path of the drop weight whenever any one of such drop weights is allowed to reach said dotted position. Such striking of the arm 0,, by the drop weight 13 causes a slight rotation about its fulcrum C which in turn serves to trip the latch link and allows the clutch lever C to drop somewhat and disengage the power driven mechanism in the manner described and thus cause the braiding operation to immediately cease.

It may here be pointed out that as used in connection with our braiding machine, the bobbin carrier shown in Fig. 3 is applicable to both braider strand or core strand purposes eXceptfor a minor change in the foot housing constructive details. In the case of the braider strand carrier its foot housing is intended to be provided with an oval or oblong shoe such as B which as inclicated in Fig. 1 is slidably mounted to travel around the platen groove in the convent-ional manner. When applied to core strand purposes, it is preferred to modify the braider carrier structure somewhat into the precise form detailed in Fig. 3. In this structure, the bottom of the housing B is equipt with a shallow foot lug B which has an elongated shape as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 3 and provided with a stud member l3 having a suitable nut serving as a clamping member, as will appear presently;

Referring now more specifically to our particular improvements in the type of braiding machine heretofore described it is pointed out that provision is made to apply similar stop safety devices to the core strands about which the braid is formed. In the conventional braider machine, the core strand or strands are usually fed off their respective spools from below the platen through a central hole without adequate tensioning means and thence pass up to the former B when the core is braided in the manner previously set forth. It is found however that with the conventional equipment heretofore used, serious difficulty is generally experienced in keeping the core strands evenly and properly tensioned, particularly so when plural core strands are employed. It is the purpose of the present invention to remedy this defect and to provide suitable means which will also cause the knock-off arm C to be actuated by any rupture on part of the core strands in a manner analogous to that which was described in connection with the braider strands. When each of the core strands are suitably equipt with the describing ratchet bobbin carrier and appurtenance, our machine provides for a full stop device throughout all the yarn strands that go to make up any braided cord or line.

An essential requirement for this purpose is the provision of a moving element for the core strand carrier capable of actuating the knock-0H" arm 0,, or its equivalent, in the event any one of the core strands should become ruptured. Without such moving element such as the cam D the drop weight such as B applied to the core bobbin, would not effect the desired results, for the reason that this particular bobbin carrier remains stationary in the sense that it is not kept in translatory motion as are the braider bobbin carriers. In the embodiment of our invention, as applied to conventional braiders, we prefer to provide for an attached knock-off plate 1),, such as for example is shown in Fig. 6, which may readily be attached to certain existing machines of the braider type. This plate may be provided with screw receiving holes D and also with one or more relatively long radially disposed slots such as D any one of which .slots is intended to receive and engage the carrier.

elongated foot lug B of the core strand The slot length is'preferably made longer than the major axis of said lugsince this not only prevents rotation of the carrier but also allows of adjustably mounting same with respect to the plate D The nut on the stud B serves to adjustably clamp the carrier lengthwise'ofthe knock-off plate slot.

The holes D may be used to secure the plate D to the pivoted knock-off arm C so as to virtually become an integral part thereof. The elongated slot D allows of shifting the carrier into any desired relation with respect to the actuating eccentric D whose function will be more fully set forth presently. The preferredposition of the attached knock-off plate D in relation to the pivot/ed knock-oil arm C is shown in Figs. 1 and 2, and for clearness of illustration, only a one-core bobbin is mounted in place to constitute a single-ply core braiding machine, although it will be understood that formultiple cores, a plurality of similar core bobbins may be carried by the plate D if so desired. The core yarn D feeding of? the ratcheted bobbin carrier 13 may be run over suitable pulleys so as to come up centrally through the platen A as indicated by dotted and dashed lines in Fig. 1. It will be understood that instead of employing a bobbin B for the carrier such as is shown in Fig. 3, it may be preferred, especially in the case of having to deal with a relatively heavy core strand or center, to utilize a cone shaped spool on the bobbin spindle in which event one or more turns are merely wrapped about said special spool, which then feeds the core into the braid in the customary manner.

For the purpose of imparting the required movement for disengaging the clutch mechanism in the event that any of the core strands should become ruptured, the rotating auxiliary shaft C is preferably provided with an eccentric or cam D or similar actuating element as indicated in Fig. 1. From the previous description of the conventional braider machine. it will be apparent that the auxiliary shaft C is kept in rotation while the clutch remains engaged with the drive pulley C The disposition of the single core bobbin carrier designated as D in Figs. 1 and 2 is such that in the event of the breaking of its core strands, this will allow its suspended drop weight such as 13 to fall into the extreme bottom position corresponding to thatshown dotted in Fig. 3. The shape and disposition of this drop weight is intended to be such that when it falls into its lower position, an interiference will be set up with respect to the movement of the rotating eccentric D and this in turn is made to push the pivotably but in all other respects mounted carrier D away (seeFigs. 1 and 2') from the shaft *C I-n' view of the described attachment of the kno'ck-oif plate 2-D to the pivoted knock-off arm O it will also be apparent that the eccentric will actuate said arm and thus lead to a tripping of the clutch mechanism in a manner analogous with that previouslydescribed in connection with the breakage-of'any one of the strands on the travelling :braider carriers. Hence by extremely simple means a sh downof the machine is accomplished in the event that either the core or the braider strands should become ruptured.

As indicated in Fig. 7, aplurality of'core bobbin carriers such as D may be similarly disposed about the axis of the auxiliary shaft C and each of these is intended to be provided with an independent drog weight such as B and adapted to cooperate with the common eccentric in bringing about the described shifting of the knock-off arm C and a subsequent disengagement of the drive clutch whenever any one of the plural core strands should become ruptured.

In the case of Fig. 7, the type of platen groove used is modified somewh at-over that previously described in connection with Figs. 1 and 2, Since two independent grooves are here used. In order that the respective sets of braider carriers may still actuate a common knock-off arm C its outer free end is now given a hook shape as shown the operation is identical.

It is further pointed out "that our provision for disengaging the clutch is supplemented by a regulated and an even tension'ing of all the "core strands bobbin ratchet means substantially similar to that applied to the braid strands. It will be apparent therefore that our improved braide'r is made capable of weaving braided cords or lines of the highest gradewith the minimum of material waste and labor cost, and that it meets a deficiency that has long been felt in this art.

It will be understood that the knock-0E plate D may be incorporated as an integral part of the pivoted knock-off arm C and that we do not wish to be limited to the particular construction herein set forth, since various other changes in the details of our devices may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of ourinvention, heretofore described and more fully set forth in the appended claims:

Claims:

1. In a machine for plaiting a plurality of braid strands about a core strand, said machine comprising a movable bobbin carrier with appurtenances including a suspended'drop weight for each ofthe braider strands, a drive mechanismincluding adisengag'eable' clutch, which drive isadaptedto impart a plaiting movement to said carriers, a stop device including a knock-off arm cooperating with the said drop weights and adapted to disengage the clutch and bring said carriers torest in the event of rupture on part of any one of the said bra-id strands, a core strand carrier with appurtenances therefor including a drop weight normally suspended by the .core strand adapted to feed said core, strand into the braid, and means including a cam element actuable in unison with said drive means adapted to co-operate with the last-named drop weight and upon rupture of the core strand serving to disengage said clutch in a manner analogous to that applied to the braider strands and cause further braider operations to cease.

2. In a machine for plaiting braided strands about a core strand, said machine comprising a grooved platen equipt with separate bobbin carriers slidably mounted in said groove and having a drop weight normally suspended upon each of the braider strands, a drive mechanism including a releasable clutch adapted to impart a plaiting movement to such carriers, a knock-0E arm adapted to interfere and be thrown out of the path of the lowered drop weight Whenever rupture on part of anyone of the braider strands should allow its respective weight to fall below a predetermined position, a stop mechanism serving to disengage the clutch and bring said carriers to rest, said mechanism including a latch device adapted to be tripped by the throwing 'of said arm, a core strand carrier with appurtenances including a drop weight sus pended by the core strand and adapted to feed said strand into the braid, and means including an actuating cam element adapted to co-operate with the last named drop Weight and serving upon rupture of the core strand to throw said knock-off arm and disengage the clutch in a manner analogous to that applied to the braider strands and thereby cause further braid operations to cease.

3. In a machine for plaiting braided strands about a plurality of core strands, said machine comprising a movable bobbin carrier with appurtenances including a suspended drop weight for each of the braided strands, a drive mechanism including a disengageable clutch adapted to impart plaiting movement to the respective braider carriers, a stop device including a knock-off arm co-operating with said drop weights and adapted to disengage the clutch and bring the carriers to rest in the event of rupture on part of any one ofthe braid strands, a core strand carrier with appurtenances ineluding a suspended drop weight for each of the plural core strands, and means including a common actuating cam element adaptedto co-operate with the last-named drop weights serving upon rupture of any one of the said core strands to disengage said clutch in a manner analogous to that applied to the braider strands and thereby causing further braider operations to cease.

4. In a machine for plaiting braider strands about a core strand, said machine comprising a movable bobbin carrier with appurtenances including a suspended drop Weight for each of the braider strands, a drive means including a disengageable clutch adapted to impart plaiting movement to said carriers, a stop device including a knock-oft arm co-operating with said drop weight and adapted to disengage the clutch and bring said carriers to rest in the event of rupture on part of any one of said braid strands, a core strand carrier with appurtenances therefor including a drop weight normally suspended upon the said core strand together with a ratchet feed device actuated by said drop weight serving to evenly tension and feed said core strand into the braid, and means including an actuating cam element adapted to cooperate with the last-named drop weight serving upon rupture of the core strand to disengage said clutch and thereby cause further braider operation to cease.

5. In a machine for plaiting braider strands about a plurality of core strands, said machine comprising a plurality of movable bobbin carriers with appurtenances including a drop weight normally suspended upon each of the braider strands and a ratchet tensioning means adapted to maintain a substantially even tension upon each of the respective braider strands, drive means including a disengageable clutch adapted to impart plaiting movement to said carriers, a plurality of core strand carriers each similarly equipt with a ratchet and a co-operating drop weight tensioning means adapted to maintain an even tension upon the respective core strands substantially equal to that of the braider strands while said core strands are being fed into the braid, and means including a cam element actuable in unison with said drive means serving to trip said clutch and bring said carriers to rest in the event of rupture on part of any one of the core strands.

6. In a machine for plaiting braider strands about a core strand, said machine comprising bobbin carriers for'each of the braider strands, drive means adapted to impart plaiting movement to said carriers, disengaging means for said drive means serving to bring said carriers to rest, a core strand carrier including a drop weight normally suspended upon the core strand and adapted tofeed a core strand into said braided strands, and a rotating actuating element operatively connected with said drive means, which element upon failure of IOU llS

the core strand is adapted to co-operate with the lowered drop weight to disengage the drive means and bring about a cessation in the braider operations.

7. In a machine for plaiting braider strands about a plurality of core strands, said machine comprising a plurality of movable bobbin carriers with appurtenances including a drop weight normally suspended upon each of the braider strands and a ratchet tensioning means adapted to maintain a substantially even tension upon each of the respective braider strands, drive means including a disengageable clutch adapted to impart plaiting movement to said carriers, a plurality of core strand carriers each similarly equipt with a ratchet and a co-operating drop weight tensioning means adapted to maintain an even tension upon the respective core strands substan tially equal to that of the braider strands while said core strands are being fed into the braid, and means including a cam element actuable in unison with said drive means serving to trip said clutch and bring said carriers to rest in the event of rupture on part or" any one of the core strands.

8. In a machine for plaiting braid strands about a plurality of core strands, said machine comprising a movable bobbin carrier including a drop weight normally suspended upon each of the braider strands adapted to maintain a substantially even tension upon each of the respective braider strands, a drive means including a disengageable clutch adapted to impart plaiting movement to said carriers, a stop mechanism including a knockoff arm co-operating with said drop Weights and adapted to disengage the clutch and bring the carriers to rest in the event of rupture on part of any one of the braid strands, in combination with a plurality of core strand carriers also equipt with normally suspended drop weights adapted to maintain a substantially even tension upon each of the respective core strands, and means including an actuating element adapted to co-operate with the last-named drop weights and serving upon rupture of any one of the core strands to similarly bring about a disengagement of the clutch and thereby cause further braider operation to cease.

9. In a machine for plaiting braid strands about a core strand, said machine comprising a movable bobbin carrier and appurtenances therefor adapted to serve said braider strands, a drive mechanism for imparting a plaiting movement to said carriers, a disengaging means including a clutch for said drive mechanism, a stop device including a knock-ofi' arm adapted to trip said clutch and bring said carriers to rest, an actuating element in operative connection with said drive means, a slotted knock-off plate for said knock-off arm, a core strand carrier equipt with a suspended drop weight adapted to co-operate with the actuating element and serving upon rupture of the core strand to bring about a disengagement of the clutch, a foot lug for the last-named carrier adapted to engage said slotted knockofi' plate and adjustably mount said carrier with respect to the actuating element, and means for locking said carrier in its adjusted position upon said knock-off plate.

10. In a machine for plaiting braider strands about a plurality of core strands, said machine comprising a movable bobbin carrier with appurtenances for each of the braider strands, a drive mechanism for said carriers, a disengaging means including a clutch for said drive means, a stop device including a knock-off arm adapted to trip said clutch and bring the braider carriers to rest, a rotating actuating element, a slotted knock-0H plate for said knock-off arm, said plate having a plurality of slots radially disposed with respect to the actuating element, core strand carriers each equipt with a suspended drop weight adapted to co-operate with the common actuating element and serving upon rupture of any one of the core strands to bring about a tripping of the clutch, a foot lug for each of the last-named carriers adapted to engage its respective radial slot and serving to ad justably mount said carriers with respect to said actuating element, and means for looking said carriers in their respective adjusted position upon said knock-off plate.

In testimony whereof, we have signed our names to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses December, 1924.

HERMAN HODGSON. GERALD F. REYNOLDS.

Witnesses:

R. K. SMITH, H. C. MUNSON.

Certificate of Correction.

It is hereby certified that in Letters Patent No. 1,537,445, granted May 12, 1925, upon the application of Herman Hodgson and Gerald F. Reynolds, of Cortland, New York, for an improvement in Knock-Off Devices for Braiding Machines, errors appear in the printed specification requiring correction as follows: Page 4, line 15, after Weight B for the Word and read any; line 103, for the Word describing read described, and line 104, for the Word appurtenance, read appurtenances; page 6, strike out lines 95 to 117, comprising claim 5, and insert instead as claim 5: g

5. I n a machine for plaiting braid strands about a core strand, said machine comprising a bobbin carrier for each of the braider strands, drive means adapted to impart plaiting movement to said carriers, means serving to disengage said drive and bring the carriers to rest, a core strand carrier with appurtenances including a drop weight normally suspended upon said core strand and a ratchet tensioning means adapted to be intermittently released by said drop weight and maintain a substantially even tension on said core strand, and a cam element actuated in unison with said drive means; which element upon faibure of the strand suspension is adapted to eo-operate with the lo'wered drop weight to disengage the drive means and bring about a cessation in the braider operations; and that the said Letters Patent should be read with these corrections therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Oflice.

Signed and sealed this 7th day of July, A. D. 1925.

' [SEAL] WM. A. KINNAN,

Acting Commissioner of Patents. 

